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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    A case for sharing Desktop and home directories
From:       Manuel Amador <amadorm () usm ! edu ! ec>
Date:       2002-12-03 22:30:01
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Hi,

I'm cross-posting to what should have been the right forum to discuss
this issue.

The proposal is to:
  * make the default desktop directory for new users equal to the home 
    directory.
  * make the default documents directory for new users equal to the home
    directory

What this proposal is not:
  * change current users' way of work
  * force everyone to eat the homedir as desktop with salt and pepper
  * force everyone to sort their own mess (I have mine, and I like it a 
    mess, many thanks =)

Points for:

- quicker access to data for users (*either* directly on the desktop or
  with the "Home" icon in kicker).
- easier to understand for newbies: Currently, they save a file in any
  application and they instantly see it appear, bringing a sense of
  tranquility and control.  Currently, they try to open a file in all 
  applications and what is the default directory? $HOME.
- take advantage of operating system facilities: a user's $HOME is
  customarily intended to save user data (visible) and per-user
  application data (hidden) -> FHS.
- reduce work: sharing Desktop and $HOME reduces developer and user work
  to code for two different cases and to decide where to store files.

Points against, and short rebuttals:

- "My users' desktops will get cluttered and they'll complain":
    * so what.  That isn't your clutter.
    If users DO complain about clutter and you NEED to give support:
    * create Desktop directories for them (does not solve the clutter, 
      just hides it and makes it more difficult to find).
       Tip: mkdir /etc/skel/Desktop; cd /home;
            for a in * ; do mkdir $a/Desktop;chown $a $a/Desktop; done
    * teach users to create directories and arrange their files in a
      logical fashion.
- "My desktop will get cluttered":
    * If you're saying this, you already have a separate desktop.
    IF IT DID by odd chance, there are four courses of action:
    * create a Desktop dir then relogin (see end of e-mail)
    * change your desktop location via KControl
    * arrange your clutter in a "Junk to sort" subfolder
    * live with the clutter (Yay!)
- "I install applications in my homedir":
    * no way to include this without installing somewhere else
    * partial solution - install in Applications folder
    * partial solution - let user hide this directory in the desktop
- "Apps put odd files in homedir":
    * apps should save user data in a visible way (e.g. Mail).
      Fix braindead apps which don't.
    * apps should save app data hidden from the user (e.g
      .mail/indexes).  Fix braindead apps.
    * core files shouldn't appear by default
      (most distros already do this).
    * newbies don't have bin/ or tmp/.  If you have them,
      you're not a newbie and you can modify your environment
      to suit new locations decided by you, or live with them
      in the desktop.
- "But what about the desktop metaphor":
    * metaphor flawed: a PC's desktop does not contain the limitations
      of a real desktop.  You don't have to bring a document to the
      desktop to work with it, and doing so would be an unneecssary
      complication
    * desktop-used users: They *still see* a desktop.  They might find 
      out during their dealings with KDE that the $HOME and the Desktop
      are the same, and they'll feel good.
- "The desktop isn't equal to the homedir"
    * logical fallacy.  Following the logical conclusion to applying
      this proposal, it would REALLY be equal.  Perhaps you need to 
      define more clearly what "really" the desktop is.
    * that's what we're trying to define, in the first place.  IF the 
      desktop should be equal, for newbies, to the homedir.

Practical guidance (Desktop=$HOME mini-HOWTO for KDE developers):

Set the default Desktop/Documents path to $HOME.  Since .kde doesn't
contain the old default desktop path, make it so that if Desktop or
Documents exist, they are used.  If they don't, then $HOME is used. 
This is perhaps a ten-line code change.  That way:
*  Users who already had configured paths won't be affected.
*  Users who already have Desktop and Documents directories don't get 
   affected.
*  Distributors who want to keep using Desktop and homedir separate 
   need only create /etc/skel/Desktop and ship.



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